2024 Best Colleges in the United States
2,238
Colleges
$87,040
Avg Salary*
87%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
When pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Colleges ranking.
Our analysis looked at 2,238 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as graduation rate, post graduate earnings, and a school's average expenditure per student - to make this determination.
Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Customizing Your List
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!
Top Colleges in the United States
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Princeton University to be the best school for overall quality in the United States in this year’s ranking. Princeton is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 2,075 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Princeton make an average of $95,689 a year.
Read full report on Princeton University
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges in the United States list means Duke University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.Durham, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 6,654 students in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 88%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Duke is $93,115 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Duke University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #3 in the United States on this year’s overall quality ranking.Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 9,623 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Harvard make an average of $84,918 a year.
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Out of the 1,715 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #4 spot on the list.Pasadena, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 527 students in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 84%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $112,166 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on California Institute of Technology
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges in the United States list means Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. MIT is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,620 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 87%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from MIT make an average of $111,222 a year.
Read full report on Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stanford University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Colleges in the United States list. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 4,821 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $97,798 during the early years of their career..
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Williams College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States ranking. Williams is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 692 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 88%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Williams make an average of $71,608 per year during the early years of their career.
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Pomona College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking. Pomona is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 395 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 89%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Pomona is $69,149 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Pomona College
With a ranking of #9, University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States list. University of Pennsylvania is a large private not-for-profit school located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that handed out 9,822 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UPenn make an average of $103,246 per year during the early years of their career.
Full University of Pennsylvania Report
Yale University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and it awarded 4,383 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 88%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Yale make an average of $88,655 a year.
Full Yale University Report
Rice University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking. Rice is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,500 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 84%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Rice is $77,683 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Rice University
Northwestern University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9,290 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern make an average of $80,033 per year during the early years of their career.
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Brown University landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States ranking. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 3,032 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Brown make an average of $78,943 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Brown University
University of Notre Dame ranked #14 on this year’s Best Colleges in the United States list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 4,431 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $88,962 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on University of Notre Dame
Dartmouth College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 2,220 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 87%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Dartmouth make an average of $91,627 a year.
Full Dartmouth College Report
Amherst College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the United States ranking. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 468 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 88%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $71,567 during the early years of their career..
Full Amherst College Report
Cornell University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges in the United States list. Cornell University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Ithaca, New York that handed out 7,952 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 87%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $91,176 during the early years of their career..
Full Cornell University Report
With a ranking of #18, Harvey Mudd College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States list.Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 197 students in 2020-2021.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 86%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Harvey Mudd College make an average of $108,988 a year.
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University of Chicago ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges in the United States list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 6,805 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UChicago make an average of $76,730 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Chicago
Johns Hopkins University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges in the United States list. Johns Hopkins is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 10,486 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins go into careers with an average salary of $83,287 during the early years of their career.
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Swarthmore College landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States ranking. Swarthmore is a private not-for-profit institution located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 481 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore is $72,637 during the early years of their career.
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Hamilton College landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Clinton, New York, and it awarded 597 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 0.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Hamilton make an average of $74,340 a year.
Read full report on Hamilton College
With a ranking of #23, Claremont McKenna College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 441 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Claremont McKenna make an average of $86,571 a year.
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With a ranking of #24, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States list. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 4,734 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 88%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Vanderbilt make an average of $79,872 a year.
Full Vanderbilt University Report
Washington and Lee University landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in the United States ranking.Lexington, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 703 students in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Washington and Lee make an average of $86,020 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Washington and Lee University Report
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